


Powerless

by fiveainley_ohmy



Series: Dare Not Speak Its Name [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst AF, Gen, Guilty John, John Watson Loves Sherlock Holmes, M/M, Mary is Not Nice, Nightmares, Pining John, Sad Sherlock, Sherlock Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-28 04:01:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8431126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveainley_ohmy/pseuds/fiveainley_ohmy
Summary: John has a nightmare.





	

John can't believe his eyes. He's frozen in place with horror as he watches Sherlock, shirtless, bare back covered in bloody welts, cowering on the ground, whimpering as James Moriarty, Charles Magnussen, Culverton Smith, and Mary take turns cracking down on Sherlock's delicate skin with large bullwhips, cackling all the while.

Mary, with a nasty grin, rears her arm back to strike Sherlock especially hard. Sherlock audibly cries out in pain as the leather stings him, forming another bright red mark on his skin.

"He makes such pretty noises, doesn't he?" giggles Moriarty, bringing Sherlock's head up with the toe of his expensive Italian shoe to force him to look him in the eye. "Hit him again, Tiger."

Mary howls with laughter as she sharply brings her whip down on Sherlock again. Sherlock sobs, writhing in agony. His noises of distress only seem to egg on the rogues gallery, as the others join back in.

"Hey, stop!" John yells, but his voice sounds small, even to himself. "Leave him alone!"

Moriarty looks up at him and snorts derisively. "Aww, how cute. The little tin soldier, coming to the rescue."

"Don't mind him," says Mary flippantly. "He's too much of a coward to do anything about it." _Crack_.

"Too stupid," adds Smith. _Crack_.

"Too weak," Magnussen agrees. _Crack_.

"Too BO-RING!" finishes Moriarty with a cruel bark of laughter, whipping Sherlock as well.

John can't move, can't stop them, try as he might. He's powerless.

And the worst part of all...

As the villains continue to abuse him, Sherlock slowly, painstakingly, raises his head. His celestial eyes are wracked with pain. "Why, John?" he whispers, tears streaking down his lovely cheeks. "Why did you do this to me?" His bottom lips trembles, and he begins to truly cry. " _Why?_ " he bitterly sobs.

* * *

John awakes with a start, panting and sweating. It had all been a terrible nightmare.

John checks the alarm clock on the nightstand beside him. 5:43 AM.

"John?" mumbles Mary sleepily beside him. "What's going on?"

John swallows, hard. "Nothing. Bad dream. I was just getting up anyway. Go back to sleep."


End file.
